Let me just state right away these are in no way traditional! When I was coming up with some ideas for a Moroccan birthday party one of the first things that came to mind was food on a stick. Why? Because, most kids will eat just about anything that is served this way.
These are also a fantastic food for camping with kids because of how simple they are. While there’s nothing wrong with a simple roast hot dog, if you can get them to eat some veggies while they’re devouring a hot dog why not make it happen?
These are really easy to make and the best part is you can use whatever you have on hand – or whatever your family likes – to fill out the kebab sticks. Our favorite brand in the US is Hebrew National All-Beef hot dogs but of course any variety is fine!
If you’ll also be preparing food for adults then I suggest mixing it up. You could use any type of sausage or bratwurst for your sticks though you may want to go with a meat that has a more neutral flavor or you won’t taste much of the seasoning mix.
You also can use raw meat like chicken, beef or lamb to make a more traditional kebab but the cooking time will be much longer. By using a sausage it speeds up the time and allows you to cook on a grill or over an open fire.
Ingredients for Hot Dog Kebabs
- hot dogs cut into equal sizes
- mushrooms
- tomatoes
- zucchini
- charmoula marinade
- roasting sticks
Preparing your Kebabs
I love the idea of putting out bowls that have all the ingredients sliced and ready to go. Let each person pick and choose what they want on theirs. It makes it more personalized and also you can decide what sounds good. Then slather on some charmoula and get cooking!
Letting everyone create their own skewers might make it a little trickier when cooking but make sure you’ve got someone organized at the grill or cook in small batches.
You also could prepare a bunch of skewers in advance with the toppings mix and matched and then just set out the cooked kebabs.
What is charmoula marinade?
This is a combination of Moroccan spices that is often used in tajines or when cooking fish. It’s very versatile and you can adjust and play with the different seasonings that are used in the mixture. Add more olive oil to thin it out or keep it thick. My recipe is merely a starting point!
Can I use other vegetables?
Of course! I went with these because they’re softer vegetables that will not only soak up the flavors of the marinade but will cook up nicely in about the same time as the hot dogs. You could use peppers, onions, eggplant, or really whatever other vegetable you like.
Now, what about the roasting sticks?
You’ll also need some kebab sticks, either the disposable type or multi-use kebab skewers. If you’re planning to roast over an open fire then I’d suggest going with hot dog roasting sticks and putting fewer ingredients on at a time.
How do I cook hot dog kebabs?
The best way, in my opinion, is on a grill or in a grill pan. They really just get that flavorful taste. But you could also coat them and roast them in the oven if a grill isn’t an option.
What can I serve with my hot dog kebabs?
Why not keep that kebab theme going and pair some fruit skewers with them? Or if you’re feeling like fruit just isn’t enough and really want to indulge pop some brownie cubes on the skewers with the fruit – that’s balanced!
Any sort of green salad could easily go with this. Or, you can keep the Moroccan theme going and choose one of these Moroccan salads that can be made in advance and served at room temperature. Eat the kebabs off their sticks, slide them into hot dog buns, pita bread, or try making mini Moroccan batbout bread as kebab carriers.
